Joy, An Inexpensive Gift
We are filled with great joy when we bring someone else a little joy and happiness. Bishop Anthony Pilla once told us Cleveland religious that we ought to practice the diaconate of humor. A deacon is someone who serves. One way we serve others by creating humor. St. Padre Pio said, “Serve the Lord […]
Joy, How to Maintain This “Best Makeup”
In preparing my talk to religious in New Orleans, I came across Anne Lamott’s words: “Joy is the best makeup.” This is true because a person who is full of joy has a radiant face. Peace and happiness shine forth from it. Eyes sparkle, cheeks are rosy, lips curve in a pleasant smile. […]
Christmas Joy and Laughter
Christmas season is a time of great joy. In case you haven’t seen my Noel cartoons on Facebook last year, here is the collection for your pleasure. Rejoice and be glad! Merry, merry Christmas Season and Epiphany (Little Christmas)!
How to Be Happy
To give more credibility and power to a saying or passage, someone will attribute it to a famous person. For example, Abraham Lincoln would be surprised at the number of things he allegedly said. Recently on Facebook a talk appeared that was attributed to Pope Francis. Now this pope has said a number of beautiful […]
Advice from Two Spiritual Experts
Arguably the world needs joy more than ever as we grapple with the natural disasters of fire, hurricanes, earthquakes and Covid in addition to human-made tragedies such as the horror in Afghanistan and the surge of refugees in our southern border. Besides these challenges, some of us are dealing with personal tragedies. How do we […]
Joy, a Gift from God
One of my most precious memories is pushing my four-year-old nephew in a wheelbarrow on a farm. He was laughing hysterically and this made me laugh. Life is full of joyful moments like that one. Reflecting on them warms the heart. We feel joy when someone does us a favor, when we accomplish a difficult […]
Tiny Things That Bring Happiness
Recently someone posted on Facebook a list of tiny things that bring joy. I wish I had copied it. Because I didn’t, I’ve come up with my own list. At the end is something worthwhile that I did copy: a reflection on happiness. Although it is attributed to Pope Francis and sometimes to a poet […]
Happy Quotations and Advice
Recently I exclaimed to someone that I was “very, very happy.” Coincidentally a friend of mine is giving a talk on happiness at the college I attended, and I’ve just read a book about happiness. Wikipedia defines it as an emotion or mental state ranging from contentment to intense joy. It is a goal that […]
Happiness Tips for When You’re Blue
On the news this week it was reported that 11% of Americans were on anti-depressants. That’s sad! We were made to be happy, and we wish it for others, saying “Happy Easter, Happy Birthday, Merry Christmas.” Why aren’t so many of us happy? Of course, we can blame the theological reason: original sin that stole […]
Pope Francis’ Recipe for Happiness
Bloggers sometimes invite others to write a “guest blog.” This week my blog is “written” by Pope Francis and consists of his ten secrets to happiness, which he gave during an interview. His items have been criticized for being too humanist (because they don’t refer to God) and too non-gospel (because one of them discourages […]
